The false leaf tree (scientific name: Ruscus aculeata L.) is a shrub of the genus Pseudophyllaceae in the family Lilyaceae. The rhizomes are transverse and thick. The stem is multi-branched, dark green, 20–80 cm tall. The leaf-like branches are ovate, tapering at the apex to become needles 1–2 mm long, and tapering at the base into short stalks, with a full margin. The flowers are white, 1–2 grow in the lower part of the midrib above the leafy branches; the bracts are about 2 mm long; the indumentum is about 1.5–3 mm long. Berry red. The flowering period is from January to April, and the fruit period is from September to November.
Native to southern Europe, it is occasionally cultivated throughout China, prefers warm, humid and sunny environments, is slightly shade-tolerant, cold-tolerant, and drought-tolerant, and prefers slightly acidic sandy loam soils.
The false leaf tree can be planted as an ornament, the dried false leaf tree is dyed as a decoration, it can also be used as a broom, and the leaves can be eaten when they are young.
The rhizomes are transverse and thick. The stem is multi-branched, longitudinal, dark green, 20–80 cm tall. The leaf-like branches are ovate, 1.5–3.5 cm long and 1–2.5 cm wide, tapering at the apex to become needles 1–2 mm long, tapering into short stalks at the base, often torsion, full margin, with midrib and multiple lateral veins.
The flowers are white, 1–2 grow in the lower part of the midrib above the leaf-like branches; the bracts are membranous and about 2 mm long; the indumentum is about 1.5–3 mm long. The berries are red and about 1 cm in diameter. The flowering period is from January to April, and the fruit period is from September to November.
The falseleaf tree is native to northern Africa and southern Europe. Cultivation is occasionally seen throughout China. Prefers a warm, humid and sunny environment, slightly tolerant of shade, has a strong adaptability to the environment, is resistant to cold (the limit temperature reaches -8 ° C), is also resistant to drought, and does not water for several days and does not cause plant death. Avoid strong light exposure, require slightly acidic sandy loam soil.
False leaf trees have thick green branches "leaves". The bright red fruit of the burst tube is also very beautiful, but because of the hermaphroditism, it is not easy to bear fruit, and it is often cultivated as a foliage plant. It is used to arrange living rooms, halls, balconies, courtyards, etc., and can also be used as a planting material for flower beds and flower landscapes in gardens. Its branches can be stored for a long time after drying. It can be dyed in different colors and used as an ornament.
Breeding methods
Divide the plants
The propagation of false leaf trees can be combined with the spring pot change for plant division, the method is to buckle the plant out of the pot, remove the rotten root system, divide the rhizome into several segments, plant it separately, the newly planted plant is watered, placed in the absence of direct sunlight for maintenance, often spray water to the plant, so that it is slow in the air humid environment, but the soil should not accumulate water, in order to facilitate root system recovery. Normal management is carried out when the plant begins to grow new branches and leaves. In addition, it can also be propagated by sowing seeds, but because the false leaf tree is a hermaphrodite plant, the male plant cannot bear fruit, and the female plant must also have male tree pollination to bear fruit and get seeds.
Tissue culture
Cut the leafy branches of the aboveground stem, under sterile conditions, first sterilize with 70% ethanol for 20 seconds, after sterilization, rinse with sterile water 4-5 times, and then use disinfectant filter paper to dry the surface water, cut the leaves into small pieces of 0.4-0.6 square centimeters, inoculate onto fresh induction callus medium, and place them in an indoor culture room. At room temperature (25±3) °C, about 10 hours of light per day, when the soybean-sized callus grows, transfer to the differentiation medium for culture, and when it grows into a complete small plant, it can be transplanted.
Cultivation techniques
In cultivation, pay attention to cutting off dead branches in time to maintain the beauty of the plant type. Every two or three years, the pots are turned over in the spring, and the potting soil should be made of loose, fertile, slightly acidic sandy soil with good drainage and permeability. During the growing season from April to October, it can be maintained in a place with bright light and no direct sunlight to keep the soil moist, but not to accumulate water to prevent rotten roots. It is also not advisable to have a long-term drought, so as not to cause the branches and leaves to dry up. When the air is dry, water should be sprayed on the plant to increase the air humidity, avoid the edges of leafy branches, and make it turquoise and moist.
During the growing period, dilute liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer is applied every 15 to 20 days. In the summer, when the temperature is high, it is appropriate to shade the light, and it is best to put it under the shade canopy for maintenance, so as to avoid the hot sun exposure, causing the branches and leaves to turn yellow, which adversely affects the growth of the plant.
Winter control watering, so that the plant dormant, can withstand 0 ° C or lower temperature, if you want to make it continue to grow, you must put it in the greenhouse maintenance, night is not less than 10 ° C, during the day to maintain more than 20 ° C, and pay attention to frequent watering, apply thin fertilizer, to maintain its color of verdant moist.